The Boys and the Bees with Nehemiah Ray (394)
About this episode
Nehemiah Ray shares his journey into beekeeping and the lessons learned from his family's experiences, as depicted in the documentary The Boys and the Bees.
Sometimes the most memorable beekeeping stories have very little to do with honey production. This week, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Nehemiah Ray, a Georgia beekeeper whose family's everyday life inspired the Sundance Award-winning documentary The Boys and the Bees . What began as a pest control assignment to remove honey bees from a home unexpectedly launched Nehemiah into beekeeping, live honey bee removals, and eventually a life centered around teaching others about nature, family, and stewardship. Nehemiah recounts learning beekeeping almost entirely through books, YouTube, and experience before joining the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association. He discusses the challenges of managing honey bee removals, maintaining survivor stock with an emphasis on naturally selected Varroa-resistant genetics, coping with Georgia's difficult weather extremes, and balancing beekeeping with family life and business ownership. The conversation then turns to The Boys and the Bees , the award-winning documentary that follows Nehemiah, his wife Eliza, and their two sons. Rather than simply documenting beekeeping, the film beautifully captures the relationship between a father and his…
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